Low bandwidth television

ABSTRACT

The present invention is concerned with client-side production in a personal computer environment of low bandwidth images and audio. A series of low bandwidth still images along with a “script” and audio data is sent over a network in a client/server architecture or is read from a compact disk or other memory. A “director” module residing in a client personal computer uses the “script” to tell the computer how to execute a sequence of “moves” on the still images. These moves include cuts, dissolves, fades, wipes, focuses, flying planes and digital video effects such as push and pull. Moves within a still image occur in real time, and are relatively smooth and continuous as compared to prior art network video. Low bandwidth is achieved because most of the production is done at the client location without relying upon slow, bandwidth-limited downloading of conventional network video formats.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/071,930, filed on Jan. 20, 1998 and entitled “LOWBANDWIDTH TELEVISION”.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates generally to image processing, andspecifically to production of images and audio in a personal computerenvironment.

[0004] 2. Discussion of the Prior Art

[0005] An important issue in digital technology is providing videoimages on a personal computer. These images are transmitted across theInternet and other networks, across telephone lines with modem-to-tomodem connections, or received from compact disk read-only memories(CD-ROMs). The speed of a modem is commonly the limiting factor insending real time, continuous video information across the Internet,over corporate intranets or local area networks. In comparison,continuous network transmission of audio data does not presentsignificant difficulties.

[0006] Table 1 shows theoretical bandwidth maxima for various networkarchitectures. Modem-to-modem connections across lines in plain oldtelephone service (POTS) have a theoretical bandwidth of 3,360 bytes persecond, while connections across the Internet with a modem or singleISDN are limited to 5,600 bytes per second. Dual ISDN networkarchitectures transmit a maximum of 11,200 bytes per second, whilecorporate local area networks with 10BaseT connections have a capabilityof transmitting one megabyte per second. With the exception of telephoneline connections, these other techniques involve non-continuous,packet-switched data. Satellite and cable architectures are alsopossible, but have not yet been widely adopted and present otherdifficulties. TABLE 1 Theoretical Maximum Continuous NetworkArchitecture Bandwidth Bandwidth Modem to modem over POTS 3,3360bytes/sec  Yes Internet with modem 5,600 bytes/sec No Internet withsingle ISDN 5,600 bytes/sec No Internet with dual ISDN 11,200 bytes/sec No Corporate 10BaseT One megabyte/sec No

[0007] On the other hand, computer memories and processor speeds havemade rapid advances. Personal computers have hard drives accommodatingmany gigabits of data, and the price of memory chips is decreasing.Processor speeds approaching 300 MHz are available, and speeds ofseveral GHz are contemplated.

[0008] To view a still or motion picture from the Internet on a personalcomputer, a user conventionally downloads video data from a web site byclicking on a web link. Often, however, it is necessary to separatelydownload (or otherwise obtain) software, e.g. Adobe Acrobat, in order todisplay a particular image format. Images are frequently compressed fortransmission over networks or storage on disks. Compression algorithms,such as JPEG and MPEG, using discrete cosine transfer (DCT) methods,produce serviceable images but compromise image size, image quality,definition, and acquisition speed. Image latency is also sacrificed. Auser must wait while an entire image or series of images is buffered ina client side personal computer prior to display. Image transmission issometimes interrupted due to network errors and traffic. Streamingtechniques allow a user to begin viewing the images immediately whiledownloading, but streaming still sacrifices image quality and latency.

[0009] Currently, International Telecommunications Union Standard ITU-R601 for digital formats in professional video production (i.e. NTSC)requires 720 by 486 pixels per frame in the scanned image, and aneight-bit 4:2:2 sampling of Y, R-Y, B-Y color components at sixty framesper second. This results in a data stream of 20 megabytes per second ifthe format is to remain uncompressed and if the images are to be viewedcontinuously in real time. Clearly, this is greater than the fastestrate for 10BaseT of one megabyte per second. A compression ratio of 5:1is the most that is considered desirable for production marketplaceimage quality, but this only reduces the necessary data rate to 4megabytes per second. Using 4:1:1 sampling, other conventional digitalvideo production techniques (e.g. DVC Pro and DV Cam) produce amarginally improved data rate of 3 megabytes per second. Compressionratios of 30:1 are sometimes used for previewing and editing of videoimages, but this only yields a data rate of 700 kilobytes per second.Data rates for these formats are summarized in Table 2. TABLE 2 DigitalVideo Format Compression Ratio Data Rate ITU-R 601  1:1 (uncompressed) 20 megabytes/sec ITU-R 601  5:1  4 megabytes/sec DV  5:1 (using 4:1:1sampling)  3 megabytes/sec (DVC Pro & DV Cam) ITU-R 601 30:1 (offlinequality) 700 kilobytes/sec

[0010] Comparing this to the standard modem of 56 kilobytes per second,there is a readily apparent, significant gap between requirements forITU-R 601 and present-day hardware transmission capabilities. A furthercompression ratio of 125:1 on an already-compressed and marginallyacceptable 30:1 compressed image, i.e. a total compression of 750:1, isneeded to transmit ITU-R 601 data across a 56 k modem.

[0011] Present methods of displaying moving objects on web pages involveeither bit-mapped or vector approaches. Simple moving icons on a webpage are produced by changing only part of the image in every frame. Forexample, Microsoft® and Netscape® browsers show moving traces aroundtheir logos while a processor is retrieving a page. Advertisements onweb pages also display moving images. The bandwidth for these images isreduced by making the images smaller so that fewer bits are needed foreach frame, or by slowing down the frame rate so that the images appearto move discontinuously.

[0012] High definition television (HDTV) attempts to simplify thedisplay of video images and reduce bandwidth by recognizing constantareas within a video picture and retaining much of the information froma previous frame. While HDTV developed concurrently with MPEG and JPEG,HDTV is broadcast-oriented and does not lend itself to networktransmission or personal computer applications.

[0013] It is expected that bandwidth will continue to be the bottleneckin network transmission for the foreseeable future. Thus, there is anoutstanding need in the prior art to be able to send professionalquality video images across networks through ordinary modems by takingadvantage of plenary memory and processor capacities within personalcomputers, and thereby reducing reliance on transmission hardware. Thereis also a need to create compelling new video experiences in personalcomputers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0014] The present invention is concerned with client-side production ina personal computer environment of low bandwidth images and audio. Aseries of still images in an image module along with a “script” moduleand an audio module are sent over a network in a client/serverarchitecture or are read from a compact disk or other memory. A“director” module residing in memory (e.g. on hard disk) of the clientpersonal computer uses the “script” to tell the computer how to executea sequence of “moves” on the still images. These moves include, but arenot limited to, cuts, dissolves, fades, wipes, focuses, flying imageplanes, and digital video effects such as push and pull. The directormodule is either downloaded from a network on a one-time basis oruploaded from a floppy or compact disk.

[0015] Production sequences are in real time, as well as beingrelatively smooth and continuous as compared to prior art network video.In order to permit viewing as soon as possible and to avoid caching, thescript module is transmitted to the personal computer along withpreliminary images, so playback begins immediately. Low bandwidth isachieved because a majority of the production is done at the clientlocation and the transmission of still pictures, audio data and scriptis relatively rapid. Images are always displayed in real time and infull screen formats. If necessary to prevent latency delays, thedirector modules inserts stand-in from stock footage, animation andloops so that a viewer always has a continuous visual and audioexperience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] For a more complete understanding of the invention, as well asother features thereof, reference may be had to the following detaileddescription of the invention in conjunction with the drawings wherein:

[0017]FIG. 1 illustrates a network architecture of the presentinvention;

[0018] FIGS. 2(a)(i)-(iii) show a first move of a bit-mapped image;

[0019] FIGS. 2(b)(i)-(iv) show a second move of a bit-mapped image;

[0020] FIGS. 2(c)(i)-(iv) show a third move of a bit-mapped image;

[0021] FIGS. 2(d)(i)-(iv) show a fourth move of a bit-mapped image;

[0022]FIG. 3 illustrates a flowchart for playing back visual and audiosequences;

[0023] FIGS. 4(a) and (b) illustrate software modules for producingvisual and audio sequences; and

[0024]FIG. 5 shows a user interface for authoring visual and audiosequences.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025]FIG. 1 shows a general overview of a client/server architecture ofthe present invention. Client personal computer 100 is connected throughmodem 120 and network 125 to server 130. Computer 100 includes displayscreen 140, stereo speakers 150, disk drives 160, and hard drive 170containing a number of software modules. Server 130 has a memorycontaining other software modules, and server 130 is connected to aplurality of other clients 180, 181 and also to a production client 185.Production client 185 authors production images 190 shown on display 140of personal computer 100 as well as providing a director module forone-time plug-in at client computer 100.

[0026] FIGS. 2(a) to 2(d) show selected “moves” characteristic of thelow bandwidth television of the present invention. FIG. 2(a) shows aflying video plane. A still picture 210 of an image to be displayed oncomputer screen 140 resides in the personal computer (FIG. 2(a)(i)).Images 230, 230′ of picture 210 are displayed on personal computer 100such that not all of picture 210 fits within a display window 220, 220′,but part of the picture 210 is cropped on the computer screen 140 asimages 230, 230′ (FIGS. 2(a)(ii)-(iii)). Now, picture 210 is rapidlytranslated within the display window 220, 220′ of computer screen 140.Since the entire still picture 210 is already stored within the personalcomputer 100 as a bit-mapped image, there is no need to download asuccession of images from a network or disk to give the illusion ofmotion. Moving images 230, 230′ are created at the client personalcomputer 100 from the bit-mapped still picture 210 stored in thecomputer memory. One application is a pan around of a three hundred andsixty degree scene. Once the scene is stored as a bit-mapped stillpicture 210 in the computer, the director uses the script accompanyingthe still three hundred and sixty degree picture 210 to simulate acamera track at any position around the scene.

[0027] Another application is a moving banner. The banner is stored as abit-mapped still picture 210 (FIG. 2(a)(i)), but picture 210 is croppedsuch that only one segment of the banner is displayed at one time (FIGS.2(a)(ii)-(iii)). The script accompanying the banner is used by thedirector module to move the banner from left to right across screen 140,or up, down or diagonally across screen 140. Images 230, 230′ appear tomove much more rapidly and smoothly across screen 140 than in prior artsystems because the processor of computer 100 is locally working onresident picture 210 to create images 230, 230′ and a series ofbit-mapped pictures 210 need not be continuously downloaded from anetwork.

[0028]FIG. 2(b) shows a focus/defocus move. A bit-mapped still picture240 resides in personal computer 100 along with a script module. Assumeinitially that the image is in focus and displayed on computer screen140 as picture 240 (FIG. 2(b)(i)). The script cues the director toactivate an algorithm residing on the personal computer 100 whichcalculates and displays a series of defocused images 241, 242, 243 ofthe original bit-mapped still picture 240 (FIGS. 2(b)(ii)-(iv)). Thisalgorithm is one of the utilities downloaded on a one-time basis withthe director and is optimized to produce rapid calculation of thedefocused images. Picture 240 optionally is downloaded as a pair ofpictures 240 a and 240 b, with picture 240 a (FIG. 2(b)(i)) representedthe focused or starting image and picture 240 b (FIG. 2(b)(iv))represented the defocused or target image. Preferably, the defocusingalgorithm involves an optimized table representing iteratively defocusedimage states between the starting image and the target image. The scriptmay indicate that the image is initially displayed as a defocused imageand subsequently brought into focus, or vice versa.

[0029] FIGS. 2(b)(i)-(iv) also can be used to illustrate a dissolve.Picture 240 is sent with the script module including a dissolve code.The director contains an algorithm for executing this dissolve,preferably using optimized tables. The director thus tells computer 100how to locally calculate dissolving images 240, 241, 242, 243 at clientcomputer 100, and these images 240, 241, 242, 243 are continuously andrapidly displayed on screen 140.

[0030] FIGS. 2(c)(i)-(iv) show consecutive stages in a linear wipe.During a wipe, picture 250 is made to disappear from display screen 140across a moving line 260. Line 260 may be horizontal, vertical,diagonal, straight or curved. As line 260 moves from one side or cornerof picture 250 displayed on the computer screen 140 to the other side,picture 240 disappears from one side of the line 260 but remains on theother side (FIGS. 2(c)(ii)-(iv)). Thus, picture 240 is “wiped out” orremoved as line 260 moves across screen 140, and images 251, 252, 253are calculated by computer 100 with an algorithm found in the director.Wipe line 260 may also start from some place in the center of picture240 and process outwards, or several wipe lines 260 may remove areas ofpicture 240 simultaneously starting from different places on picture240. The kind of wipe that is to be executed by the director isindicated by the script code accompanying picture 240, and the processorof computer 100 locally calculates the wipe with algorithms found in thedirector. As the wipe line traverses across the image, a screenoptionally is revealed to have a particular background 270 (FIG.2(c)(iv)). Background 270 may be another bit-mapped image such as aphotograph, text or graphic, or the background may be a solid.

[0031]FIG. 2(d) shows a biaxial wipe. Pieces 271, 272, 273, 274 of abit-mapped picture 240 appear to split apart, and each piece 271, 272,273, 274 moves in a different direction towards the edges of the displayscreen 140 (FIG. 2(d)(i)-(iv)). One example splits picture 240 alonghorizontal and vertical axes 280, 281, with each piece 271, 272, 273,274 moving towards a respective corner of the display screen 140. Therealso may be two pieces moving along a diagonal line towards oppositediagonal sides of the screen. Once the wipe begins, the absence of theimage optionally reveals another bit-mapped image, a blank screen, aparticular color or texture.

[0032] Low bandwidth television produces a sequence of moves on stillbit-mapped images specified by an accompanying script. The productionsequence can be rapidly and consecutively strobed and repeated in aparticular order, or the sequence can be strobed and repeated in adifferent order. Repetition and looping of sequences implies that anyproduction sequence has an arbitrarily long and potentially infiniteduration. A production sequence may consist of combinations of stillimages, high resolution photographs, text graphics, high resolutiontext, and animated computer graphics. While the present embodimentcontemplates that the director primarily operates on still images, shortvideo clips residing as stock footage with the director module mayoptionally be utilized.

[0033] Low bandwidth television assumes full screen and real timedisplay of images. In contrast to prior art systems where image sizemust be scaled and quality reduced to conserve bandwidth, the presentinvention improves the viewing experience by requiring that images coverthe entire screen of the personal computer. Larger size and higherresolution pictures are possible because a majority of the productionwork is contemporaneously performed by the director at the clientlocation rather than prior to network transmission. Real time display isachieved because the image and audio modules are transmitted quicklyacross the network due to their small bandwidth. The director furtherguarantees a real time experience by inserting stock footage, loopingand stretching whenever image data is delayed due to network latency.

[0034] Each image module is generally synchronized with an audio trackthat is sent with the script. The audio track optionally includes musictracks, Foley effects, and voiceovers. An audio engine has a capabilityof mixing multiple audio tracks and adding special audio effects such asreverb and audio delays in real-time. The director module includes ahigh quality audio synthesizer having a file size of about 20 megabytes.

[0035] One major difference between the low bandwidth production systemof the present invention and prior art video production systems is thedegree to which a finished product is sent over a network or stored on adisk. Prior art Internet video devices (e.g. MPEG) send a finishedproduct over the network, while the present invention sends only apartial product and a script and then finishes the video production atthe client station with the director. Much greater bandwidth is requiredfor the prior systems of sending a finished series of images over thenetwork than it does to send a partially completed set of images with ascript describing how the images are to be animated, and then finishingthe animation of the images at the client computer. In a disk storageenvironment, much more disk space is required to store all of the pixelsof a series of images than to store one image and script coderepresenting how the images are to be animated.

[0036] Furthermore, the video production method of the present inventionis much faster than prior art methods despite the reassembly time forstill image production at the client. The speed of the prior art methodof downloading video images from the Internet is limited by a bottleneckat the modem. By contrast, while the video production of the presentinvention is uncompleted at the time it arrives at the client computer,the processor reconstructs the production from the images and the scriptmuch more quickly than the delay occasioned at the modem.

[0037] LBTV has a number of advantageous characteristics. It uses thesame audio and visual language of film and video production standards.Smooth and continuous motion is produced in real-time as compared tostandard methods of viewing images from networks. There is no imagelatency because the image stills and script are transmitted rapidly incomparatively small files. Moving images are displayed in real-timebecause the director quickly calculates the production sequence at theclient computer from the stills and script. The images are displayed atsixty fields per second (in NTSC) with anti-aliased graphics,high-resolution imagery, full-screen displays and high-quality audio.These capabilities are realized because the majority of the work is doneby exploiting the processor and memory at the client computer.

[0038] Although digitized video clips may be used with LBTV, their largebandwidth implies that they are utilized sparingly. However, clipbandwidth can be decreased with keys to reduce their size, or with otherspecial effects such as strobing or posterization. In strobing, everyfifth video frame is displayed and frozen. Stock footage stored at theclient computer may also be used since it requires no networktransmission time.

[0039] The present invention also provides stand-in and loops to permitan immediate and continuous viewing experience without caching.Initially, only the script module and the earliest part of the imagedata from the image module are sent across the network. Thus,presentation of images and sound begins immediately for the viewerwithout downloading of the entire image file. Neither is it necessaryfor the image and sound data to cache in the client computer memory. Toprevent latency problems, the director inserts stock footage asstand-ins or causes the images already received to loop or stretch inthe production sequence. Therefore, in contrast to prior art systemswhere the visual stream is interrupted or the viewer must wait while theimages are downloaded, the director ensures a continuous viewingexperience.

[0040] The present invention is also applicable to receiving aproduction module comprising a script module, an image module, and anaudio module, from a disk drive, e.g. a CD-ROM, rather than obtainingthis module over a network. While digital video disks (DVDs) provide forreal time viewing at approximately sixty frames per second, lowbandwidth production techniques further increase the number and run timeof programs that can be stored on a single DVD. Moreover, LBTV does thiswithout data compression.

[0041]FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the steps in creating and viewing a lowbandwidth television production. A user first loads a plug-in in step310. The plug-in contains a director module including algorithms toperform all of the video “moves,” as well as stock footage and otherutilities. The loading is done on a one-time basis, although the plug-inmay be updated periodically, e.g. when new algorithms are added to thedirector (step 315). The plug-in may be downloaded from a networkserver, or the plug-in may be uploaded from a disk drive, for example, amagnetic disk or a CD-ROM.

[0042] A particular video production begins in step 320. The productionmodule includes an image module, an audio module and a script module.Initially, only the script module and first viewing parts of the imageand audio modules are transmitted over the network so that viewingbegins immediately without caching. Viewing is initiated either byclicking on a link in a web site and receiving transmitted data from anetwork (e.g. the Internet) via a server, or by reading from a diskdrive, for example, a magnetic disk or a CD-ROM.

[0043] The director module uses the script module to generate initialvideo and audio sequences from the image module and the audio module(step 330). The video and audio sequences are played on the video screenand through stereo speakers of the personal computer (step 340).Meanwhile, more data from the image module and audio module are loadedacross the network into the client computer (step 370). The directormodule continues to work on the newly received data from the image andaudio modules with cues from the script module to generate new visualand audio sequences.

[0044] If there is a gap at any time in the production due to latency ordata transfer problems (step 345), the director maintains a continuousreal time presentation by inserting stock footage or providing looping(step 360). As long as there is more data being received from thenetwork (step 365), the director continues to load data from the imageand audio modules (step 370). When program data transmission iscomplete, a user may return to play another video and audio sequence(step 380), or terminate the program (step 390).

[0045] FIGS. 4(a) and (b) illustrate software components of the variousmodules of the present invention. The plug-in comprises director module410, which includes full screen transition algorithms 420 and partialscreen effects algorithms 430 (FIG. 4(a)). Examples of full screentransitions are moving bitmaps 421, wipes 422, and animation programs423. Director 410 further comprises instrument sample libraries 440,stills 450, and stock footage 460. Stock footage 460 may include shortvideo clips. Each of the modules is on the order of 20 megabytes.Software algorithms of director module 410 are designated by GlobalUnique Identifiers (GUIs) to permit indexing of algorithms.

[0046] Production module 470 includes script module 475 with commands inan edit decision list (EDL), image module 480 having bit-mapped imagesof the still pictures utilized in the production, including photographs481, graphic images 482, and short video clips 483 (FIG. 4(b)). Audiomodule 490 includes music score 491, voiceovers 492 and sound effects493. Production module 470 further includes optional new effects 495,which may be identified as needed for a specific production module 470.New effects software algorithms 495 are identified by the edit decisionlist of script module 480 via respective GUIs to determine whetheralgorithms 495 are already present in director module 410.

[0047]FIG. 5 illustrates a User Interface (UI) for an authoring tool tocreate production modules 470 as a series of pages 510. A user firstspecifies page 511 corresponding to a first in a series of effects in asequence. Button bars 520, 521, 522, 523 are selected to edit pages 510.EDL commands are attached to page 511 by clicking on button bars 520-523to create script module 480. Bit-mapped still image files are attachedto page 511 to form image module 490, and sound effects files areattached to page 511 to make audio module 480. Preview window 530displays still bitmapped images, and a list of file names for image,audio and script (EDL) files is displayed in preview window 540. Once abitmapped image, audio file, and edit decision list are associated withpage 511, the process is repeated for pages 512, 513, 514, etc.Production module 470 is complete once all of pages 510 are created andassembled. A production editor can then go back and re-edit any of thepages.

[0048] A completed production module 470 is stored on server 130 as adisk file(s), and client computer 100 contacts server 130 when a viewerdesires to watch the program. Client-side production may beginimmediately upon sending the EDL with some initial program content, andclient computer 100 performs production on-the-fly. Additional contentnot yet present at client 100 is transmitted in temporal order. Even ifa given section of the program occurs before all of the required contenthas been transferred, the playback engine ensures continuity usingstand-ins such as line drawings and looped sequences.

[0049] Although the present invention has been described in itspreferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate thatalternate embodiments, not specifically described herein, may be deducedwithout departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which islimited only by the following claims.

We claim:
 1. An image production system, comprising: a computer having adisplay screen and a memory; a director module residing in said memory;and a script module, an image module, and an audio module; wherein saiddirector module uses instructions in said script module to create aseries of moves to display a production sequence of images on saiddisplay screen including associated audio.
 2. The production system ofclaim 1, wherein said director module is downloaded or uploaded on aone-time basis.
 3. The production system of claim 2, wherein saiddirector module is periodically updated.
 4. The production system ofclaim 2, wherein said director module is downloaded from a network. 5.The production system of claim 4, wherein said network is the Internet.6. The production system of claim 2, wherein said director module isuploaded from a disk through a drive on said computer.
 7. The productionsystem of claim 6, wherein said drive is an optical head and said diskis a CD-ROM.
 8. The production system of claim 1, wherein said directormodule ensures continuity of said production sequence by inserting stockfootage or loops.
 9. The production system of claim 1, wherein saidimage module contains bit-mapped still images.
 10. The production systemof claim 9, wherein said image module further contains short videoclips.
 11. The production system of claim 1, wherein said audio modulecontains music and voiceovers.
 12. The production system of claim 1,wherein said image module and said audio module are transmitted to saidcomputer over a network.
 13. The production system of claim 12, whereinsaid network is the Internet.
 14. The production system of claim 1,wherein said image module and said audio module are read from a diskthrough a drive on said computer.
 15. The production system of claim 14,wherein said drive is an optical head and said disk is a CD-ROM.
 16. Theproduction system of claim 1, wherein said move is a wipe.
 17. Theproduction system of claim 1, wherein said move is a focus or defocus.18. The production system of claim 1, wherein said move is a fade. 19.The production system of claim 1, wherein said move is a dissolve. 20.The production system of claim 1, wherein said move is a translation ofsaid images and said images are cropped so that only a portion of saidimages are visible as a new piece of said images move across saiddisplay screen.
 21. The production system of claim 1, wherein saidproduction sequence is initiated by sending only said script module andpreliminary pieces of said image module and said audio module, and saiddirector module continues to receive pieces of said image module andsaid audio module as said production sequence is playing.
 22. A methodof producing a low bandwidth television image, comprising the steps of:receiving an image module, an audio module and a script module at acomputer; using a director module to generate sequences of images andaudio from said image module and said audio module with instructionsfrom said script module; and displaying said sequences of images on adisplay screen of said computer.
 23. The method of claim 22, whereinsaid receiving step comprises receiving said image module, said audiomodule and said script module from a network.
 24. The method of claim23, wherein said network is the Internet.
 25. The method of claim 22,wherein said receiving step comprises receiving said image module, saidaudio module and said script module from a disk drive of said computer.26. The method of claim 25, wherein said drive is a CD-ROM drive. 27.The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of: loading saiddirector module on a one-time basis into said computer.
 28. The methodof claim 22, further comprising the step of: periodically updating saiddirector module.
 29. The method of claim 22, further comprising the stepof: adding stock material or looping said sequences with said directormodule to eliminate gaps in said sequences and to ensure continuity. 30.The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of: initiating saidproduction sequence by sending only said script module and preliminarypieces of said image module and said audio module, with said directormodule continuing to receive pieces of said image module and said audiomodule as said production sequences are playing.
 31. A computer readablemedium comprising program instructions for displaying low bandwidthtelevision images, said program instructions performing the steps of:receiving an image module, an audio module and a script module; using adirector module to generate sequences of images from said image modulewith instructions from said script module; and displaying said sequencesof images on a display screen of a computer.